In its lawsuit, the EEOC had charged that qualified females applied for available cable technician positions but were denied hire, despite their qualifications, while similarly or less qualified male applicants were hired.

Sex discrimination violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit, No. 1:09-cv-02035, in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement.

In addition to the monetary relief, the five-year consent decree settling the suit provides for proactive hiring and training of women for cable technician positions, training of all employees on employee rights and employer obligations under Title VII, as well as maintaining policies against sex discrimination, harassment and retaliation, and including promoting supervisor accountability.

“I am very pleased with the settlement as it provides relief to the harmed individuals and contains mechanisms to prevent this type of discrimination from recurring,” said EEOC Regional Attorney Debra Lawrence. “Employers must be mindful that federal law forbids discrimination when it comes to any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, fringe benefits, and any other term or condition of employment.”